Venomous Fang
by Dark Cloud Inc
Summary: I've decided to add something fresh to the ongoing list of Sonic Fics. See why people like this one... (Prequel to SA2) *ch4 up*(Please R&R)
1. Beginnings

Open Your Heart To Live and Learn, A Sonic Gaiden Side Story  
  
Grey Wolf: Hello! If you have been reading my main story, Sonic Gaiden: Prower   
Saga, (If you haven't, you should.) this story gives some background to one of   
my favorite Sonic characters, Nack the Weasel, and how he evolves through   
trial-and-error to reinvent himself as a better skilled bounty hunter. I don't   
know a whole lot about Nack, i've never played Triple Trouble or Nack the   
Weasel, did you? Didn't think so. The story starts out at the end of Triple   
Trouble.  
  
Please note that this Nack is based off of the SEGA universe. That means no   
Nicolette, no squad of bounty hunters, just Nack. I don't usually use or care   
for SatAm characters and ideas. I haven't read those since I was twelve. (That's   
why you never really see me reveiw a SatAm based story.)  
  
(Please keep in mind that this is the introductory chapter, and the following   
chapters will be longer. I wanted to expose this story to see what reaction I   
would get, without ruining too much of the story, then I will load more   
chapters.) PLEASE REVIEW!!!  
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"........................."  
  
"........................."  
  
"........................?"  
  
Nack opened his eyes and saw thick cloulds drifting in front of him, dropping   
snowflakes on his face. He was lying in the snow, face up. The last thing he   
remembered was he was hanging off of Robotnik's Egg Typhoon, fighting Eggman and   
Knuckles for the Master Emerald. Nack pulled himself out of his weasel-shaped   
crater in the snow. He stood up and brushed off the layer of snow that   
accumulated on his face, legs, arms, and chest. He was freezeing cold.  
  
"I must have been there for a while." Nack said to no one but himself. He   
scratched his head, then looked at the almost comical imprint he left in the   
snow. "My hat!" He got down on his knees and dug around the snow. "Where's my   
damn hat?!" Nack said as he thrashed through the snow with his leather-gloved   
hands. He gave up and looked around to get his bearings.  
  
Bearings? Yeah right. He was lost. He took a guess that he was in the Hilltop   
area. All he saw was snow, snow, and more snow. "No where to go. It all looks   
the same." Nack though to himself. The snowfall became thicker and the wind   
began to blow hard. He chose a direction and began walking.  
  
And walking.   
  
And walking.  
  
And walking.  
  
And walking.  
  
And walking.  
  
And walkIng.  
  
He thought he was going to lose his toes to frostbite.   
  
He kept walking and passed remmnants of a ski resort. The support beams for the   
ski lift and benches, picnic tables, benches, small shacks, all trashed. He was   
hoping to find some lodge or house of some sort, but it seems that no one has   
been here for years. He kept walking and came to the top of a steep hill. Down   
at the foot of the hill, Nack could see some smoke floating out of the chimney   
of a cabin.  
  
"People! There's people here!" He said, facing the wind, and he got a mouthful   
of snow. He began to clumsily step his way down the face of the hill, dodging   
trees and rocks on the way. He reached the foot of the hill and walked toward   
the log cabin. The cabin wasn't small, but it wasn't very large, either. It had   
a 'rooms for rent' sign in one of its frosted windows. Nack reached into a   
pocket on his bandoleer and felt a wad of cash. "I guess I can pay them   
honestly." He knocked on the door. The door swung open and he met the face of a   
young male teenaged glacier bear.  
  
The bear looked at Nack and spoke. "Hello. It's freezing cold out here! Are you   
here to rent a room?"  
  
Nack was surprised that the boy didn't recognize him as the dangerous theif and   
bounty/treasure hunter, Nack the Weasel. He winced at this fault. "Yes, I'm here   
for a room." Nack replied. The bear opened the door and let him in.  
  
The inside was warm and had a cozy feel to it. The room in front of the entrance   
wasn't large. There was a fireplace in the room doing its job. A television was   
at the wall and a larger, older glacier bear was watching a news program. He   
could see a hallway lined with doors on the other side of the room. A female   
gleacier bear, probably the mother of the teenager that greeted him at the door,   
walked out of the hallway and greeted Nack. She was rather thin looking when   
compared to the other bears in the room.  
  
"Are you here for the room sir? We have television and telephones." She asked.   
She looked at the stun-shot pulsegun clipped to Nack's belt. "A hunter? We   
usually get a lot of those during this time of year, hunting deer and such.   
Lucky for you, we have a room left."  
  
"How much is it for a room?" Nack asked her.  
  
"Twenty-five dollars a night." She said. Nack nodded and handed her a   
fifty-dollar bill. He planned to call some sort of transportation back to Khole,   
his city. He didn't know a soul that would extend their hand out to help him. He   
would think of someone, but he would do it tommorrow, after he gotten a good   
night's rest. "The room is the last one down the hall." The woman added.  
  
Nack went to his room and shut the door. He looked around the room and spotted a   
bed, bathroom, a dressing mirror, a dresser, and a telephone and alarm clock   
sitting on top of a small desk. He walked in front of the mirror and looked at   
himself. What he saw in the mirror was a sorry excuse for a bounty hunter, a   
lanky weasel that looks like a hillbilly toting his cousin's water gun. Except   
now a hatless hillbilly. No wonder Ivo let him fall and left to die. There was   
nothing to be feared about this person. This wasn't a bounty hunter, just some   
shmoe that never killed anyone. He took the bandoleer off his shoulder and   
tossed it aside. He took his belt and gun and set them on the desk.  
  
He let himself fall on the bed and closed his eyes...........................  
  
Ring.  
  
Ring Ring.  
  
Nack woke up and brought himself to answer the phone. He got out of bed and   
picked up the handset off of the reciever. He held it up to his ear.  
  
"Hello Nack." a somewhat tired voice said on the other end of the line.  
  
"Who is this? How did you find me?" Nack asked the voice. Nack was a freelance   
bountyhunter, and had no employers, so he wouldn't be easily found.  
  
"It doesn't matter how I found you. I have seen you work. Your potential. I wish   
to have a talk with you." The voice said.  
  
"Why? No one ever hires me anymore, what potential could you see?" Nack said   
into the reciver.  
  
"You desire to become better. I have waited for someone like you to mold." The   
voice said.  
  
"Mold into what?" Nack asked.  
  
"A more skilled and intimidating hunter." the voice replied. "I wish to share   
better weapons and tools to a willing bounty hunter such as yourself."  
  
"What will it cost me?" Nack asked.  
  
"Not a dime." The voice said.  
  
Nack hesitated, who would be so generous? "Then there's a catch." Nack replied.  
  
"No. No catch. All I wish for is someone to test this technology. After one   
assignment, you can help yourself to my tools or I can assist you throughout   
your career."  
  
"What is the assignment then?" Nack asked.  
  
"You're not ready. The assignment involves you testing my technology." The voice   
replied.  
  
"Then where can I find you?" Nack asked.  
  
"Go to Station Square tomorrow." The voice said.  
  
"Station Square? That place is huge. How will I find you?" Nack asked.  
  
"Here." The voice said as a notepad materialized on the desk, open with an   
address written on the first page. Nack couldn't belive his eyes. "Meet me at   
the entrance at ten a.m.."  
  
"How did you do that?" Nack asked. Perhaps this person isn't leading him on a   
wild goosechase.  
  
"This is just a mere sample of the tools I have." The voice said in a boastful   
fashion.  
  
"But then there is another problem. A known bounty hunter walking into a big   
city can have its disadvantages." Nack said into the reciver.  
  
"There is a large bottle of peroxide in the closet behind you, bleach your   
entire body white, and wear your hair longer from now on, you'll be traversing   
cities often for a while." The voice said.  
  
"How will I get there? You probably know that i'm more than five hundred miles   
from Station Square." Nack asked.  
  
"Tomorrow morning, there will be a hovercraft outside of the lodge." The voice   
said. "Be prompt, I don't like wailting." the voice said and hung up. Nack heard   
the dial tone and put the handset back onto the reciver. He thought about his   
turn of events. Could this be real? A stranger, out of the blue, asking for   
help? One assignment, that's all. Then he could have all of these amazing tools   
at his disposal, being unstoppable. But then he thought about what the man ment   
when he said 'assist you throughout your carrer.'. Would he need the help of the   
stranger later on? Nack gave himself a headache thinking about this. He   
collapsed back on his bed and tried to sleep.  
  
The next morning.........................  
  
Knock!  
  
Knock!  
  
"Sir! Sir! A craft and a note arrived for you sir!" The voice of the teenaged   
bear awoke Nack. Nack rolled out of bed and opened the door and met the face of   
the teenager. "The hovercraft appeared this morning, along with a note for you."   
The teenager said as he handed him an envelope. Nack closed the door and opened   
the note.  
  
  
  
"Dear Nack,  
  
The keys to the hovercraft is in the second pocket of your bandoleer. Your   
pistol has been replaced with a laser shot, complete with chaos drive batteries,   
just in case you would run into trouble on the way. Hurry up, or you're goning   
to be late. And you still haven't bleached yourself. If you want the reward,   
then you have to follow my directions to a tee. Don't disappoint me.  
  
Friend."  
  
  
  
"I wasn't dreaming." Nack said disbelief. He opened to door of the closet.  
  
The closet was absolutely empty, exept for a large bottle of peroxide.  
  
  
Later that morning...............  
  
Nack was in the cockpit of a sleek one-seated hovercraft, gliding over the water   
of the ocean, full speed.  
  
"After all of theses surprises, I am ready for anything." Nack thought to   
himself. "But the stranger, what will he employ me for?" He saw the coastline of   
Station Square in the distance, with the city's large and prominent office   
buildings, reflecting morning sunlight over the water. He neared the beach and   
parked the hovercraft in a parking space. He got out of the craft, but left his   
bandoleer and gun inside, thinking that he wouldn't need it, and kept the   
address note in his hand. As soon he got a few feet away from the vehicle, it   
vanished.  
  
He walked down the streets of Station Square, and looked at the torn note.   
"33273 main." He walked through the sidewalk, passing by people on thier way to   
work, daily routine. All they saw was a white weasel walking down the street.  
  
He found the address, and It turned out to be a small restruant. He looked for   
someone to spot a white weasel, but no one answered to him. He walked inside. He   
took a seat inside the small eatery, and scanned around the room for someone to   
recognize him. He turned his head and met the face of a kind-looking 45 year old   
male rat. He was wearing a large black vest. He had a pair of glasses resting on   
his forehead.  
  
"Hello Nack. You're two minutes late. Don't dissapoint me so soon." The rat said   
with the same voice of the telephone call. "I am Ivan Cameron, the man who led   
you here." Ivan said as he reached into a vest pocket and pulle out an object   
the size of a ping-pong ball. He set it on the table and pressed the large blue   
button on its top. The object bleeped and emitted a breif flash of light, like   
the flashbulb of a camera.  
  
"What was that for?" Nack asked.  
  
"I don't want the information i'm giving you to be heard by others. This device   
simply makes others see us as two gentlemen conversing about last night's   
baseball game." Ivan said. "Now let us talk. I am a lone scientist, uncovering   
lost research that G.U.N. has sealed away. I have uncovered and worked on   
numerous experiments, such as our small friend here..." He pointed to the   
ping-pong ball-sized object. "...and the the teleportation device that you have   
seen the results of. I have found numerous super-soldier enhancing tools that I   
have worked on and improved, they were abandoned by G.U.N.."  
  
"Why would G.U.N. abandon something that would improve its military?" Nack   
asked.  
  
"Simple. The man who created them was executed. And only he knew how to make   
more, or improve the tools, because of his unique inventions were ahead of his   
time. I have studied his work for a long time, and now managed to duplicate the   
inventions." Ivan said.  
  
"I see were you're going. You need me to test the tools and the assignment   
involves me finding a treasure to help finance your reaserch." Nack said.  
  
"No. That is not needed. The research seems to stop at a point before the   
scientist went to space, and I want it. You are going to look for Gerald   
Robotnk's remaining research diary, G.U.N. has sealed it away somewhere, and the   
last of his reserch is written in that diary." Ivan said.   
  
"What is so important about it?" Nack asked. "You seem to have the most   
important tools, why would you need the final days of his reasearch?" Nack   
asked.  
  
"Simple, the last of his research has him making artificial organs, limbs,   
brains, and an ability to manipulate Chaos energy.......he seems to be leading   
up to something, and I want to find out what it is." Ivan paused for a second.   
"So what will it be? Do you accept or decline the job?"  
  
"I accept."  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Grey   
Wolf: So what did you think? REVEIW TO TELL ME!!! Tell me if I should keep going   
with this story. Now I must go back and work more on my beloved Sonic Gaiden:   
Prower Saga. 


	2. Transformation

Opem Your Heart To Live and Learn, a Sonic Gaiden side story.  
  
Sonic the Hedgehog and all related characters are property of SEGA and SONIC TEAM.  
Ivan Cameron, Bahn Lock, Silver , Zelkin, Valgas, the G.E.A.R., the Oak are property of Grey Wolf Inc.  
  
Grey Wolf: So you like the story? Good. Now I can update this thing on a regular basis. This story will probably be long, as the events will lead up to SA2. then my Prower Saga. (And we're now on the S&K timeline, right after triple trouble. Why? Because I said so.) Remember to REVIEW!! And I will answer all questions. Hey, I have a lot of room in this forward, maybe I can fill it with something........oh! I know!  
  
Giant SEGA plot hole time!: If Gerald Robotnik was Ivo Robotnik's grandfather on his MOTHER's side....then why is Robotnik's last name Robotnik If Ivo has the same last name as his mother's maiden name?  
  
Hmmm.. think about it..............Now stop thinking and read my story.  
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"I accept."   
  
"Good." Ivan said as he reached for the illusion object on the table. He tapped the top of the device, and it released a bright flash. Ivan then replaced it in his vest pocket. "Come, we need to take a rail train to my place." Ivan said as the both got out of thier chairs and walked out of the door of the resturant. They walked down the street.  
  
"That's funny, you look taller without your hat." Ivan said. It was true, Nack looked pretty tall for an anthromorph, around '5''3. He still wasn't as tall for a human, but he was close.  
  
"I do?" Nack replied. "I lost it back in the artic."  
  
They walked toward the large train station. The huge center of Station Square. A few people were coming out of its doors. Rush hour was over. "My facility is pretty far. It will take an hour to get there." Ivan said as he opened the glass door for them and walked inside the large and elaborate lobby.  
  
"Then why are we here? Couldn't we-......."  
  
"Use the transport device? Heh heh, I'm sorry." Ivan chuckled. "But I've lost my lunch riding that thing for my first few tries. And I don't want you getting sick all over my lab. You will use it when it is your only means of transportation." The rat paused and grinned. "Trust me, it's something you have to get used to."  
  
"All right, i'll take your word for it." Nack replied. They both puchased thier tickets, they were going to cross the wide Aquatic Ocean, to the other side of Station Square. There have been rumors to build a highway across, but the city has put the project on hold. The city was cautious about building a bridge spanning the ocean, fearing that their work would be undone by Chaos anomalies twisting the roads into loop-the-loops. One highway was started, but one piece of the road was twisted into a doulble spiral, and constuction was halted. (Radical Highway) They have halted the project and have no plans to continue until further notice.  
  
They entered the narrow door on the train and found a empty bench, and began thier ride to East Staion Square. The train filled with a few passengers, and the doors shut. The train began to roll towards its destination. Ivan took out the same illusion ball out of his pocket and sat it on the windowsill behind thier seats. It emmited the same breif flash and Ivan began to talk.  
  
"Is there anything you wish to ask me?"  
  
"So you're alone in this reseach?" Nack asked.   
  
"Well, yes. I used to work with another person who was interested in the same reseach."   
  
"How come he stopped?"  
  
"He was intrigued when we came across a way to power machines using body heat from living things. He became obsessed and built upon this discovery and left my side." the rat said.  
  
"Ivo Robotnik, I presume."  
  
"Yes, he has built numerous bases in the east, right now, he plans to take the Chaos Emeralds. That Master Emerald protector, he is still by his side. " Ivan said. The train had passed over Station Square's Emerald Coast, and were traveling over the ocean. "He has built two machines that can harness the Chaos energy. And I've seen evidence of a large space station being built. He has planned something big."   
  
"Is anyone going to stop him?" Nack asked.   
  
"Sonic the Hedgehog, he seems determined to stop him. He has done it once before, and I don't doubt that he would stop Robotnik again." Ivan replied.  
  
"I see." Nack said. "When will I set out for the asignment?"  
  
"A year from now." Ivan siad calmly.  
  
"WHAT?! A YEAR FROM NOW?!" Nack yelled. "What would take so long?!"  
  
"Nack, settled down."Ivan said. "First you have to test my tools first, and you'll have to train."  
  
"Train for what?" Nack asked.   
  
"I don't want some half-wit bounty hunter wrecking my tools. You will need time to prepare yourself for the assignment. These inventions will be disorienting at first, and you will need time to get familair and confortable with them."  
  
"Familiar and comfortable? You talk as if they are implants."  
  
"Most of them are."  
  
"Hold on a second, I don't wan't anyone slicing me up with a knife. I will not do this." Nack said as he imagined himself having a gun for a hand. "I don't want to look like one of your experiments."  
  
"Relax, they are not as drastic as they sound." Ivan replied. "The implants will be very small, like as the size of a button. They will aid you with your sight, hearing, and so on."  
  
"How will they be put on me?"  
  
"Let's talk about the hearing tool, as an example. The hearing implant will be set in your jaw, it will sense vibrations in the air and let you hear through walls." Ivan said.  
  
"That's pretty unorthodox. Why wouldn't it be set in my ear?"  
  
"If I set it in your ear? Well, number one, if you get hit in the head, the hearing device will slip out of place and not function properly. And number two, the hearing device will be too sensitive if it is placed within the bell of your ear." Ivan answered.  
  
"Interesting....I will have to see this." Nack said. "When will we start with the training?"  
  
"Soon enough." Ivan said. "You will need some weight trainning, the weapons you will use are quite heavy, and you will need to perform in top physical shape."  
  
"What trouble will I run into?" Nack asked. "I want to know how much danger is involved with this."  
  
"You will certanly have G.U.N. breathing down your back as you try to find the diary." Ivan said. "And part of your assignment has you hopping on ARK."  
  
"ARK, in space?" Nack said. "Why there?"  
  
"I also want to see the work Gerald had done before he was executed." Ivan said. "The diary might be there."  
  
  
Later.............  
  
  
The train had stopped at the eastern Station Square station. Ivan and Nack stepped out of the train. This station looks exactly like the one in the westside, but a little smaller. A number of people left the train, heading out of the door. Construction workers. They are adding buildings to the eastside. The city planned to span the eastside to the Pumpkin Hill mountains. They both walked out of the station. Nack turned around and looked at the ocean. Far, far in the distance, you can see.....water. The train rail bridge seemed to go on forever.  
  
"My place is this way." Ivan said as he walked west from the smaller buildings of East Station Square. Nack followed. Ahead of them they could spot large mountains in the distance. "My lab is hidden in the foot of a mountain here, Pumpkin Hill."  
  
"Pumpkin hill? So you depend on the ghosts that haunt there to scare away people?" Nack said.  
  
"Heh heh." Ivan chuckled. "Ghosts? I don't think so."  
  
"But these mountains are haunte-........." Nack said, being interrupted by Ivan's laughing.  
  
"Ha ha! Nack please! That is an old trick!" Ivan chuckled. "They are merely just holograms, some have spiked spheres within them. Even Ivo uses the same trick to keep people out of his pyrimid bases."  
  
They continued walking, and they reached the end of the road that turned into a narrow, rocky path. They walked for a few miles. Nack's feet were still sore from tripping through the snow yesterday. He saw the remains of miner drilling equipment and the cart rails for depositing coal. Nack looked down and stared down at the seemingly bottomless abyss below the sides of the bridge-like path.  
  
"So you scared the whole mining company out of here?"  
  
"Well, yes," Ivan said. "This place was hailed as haunted, but the coal refinery company was persistent. So I flooded the mines, set the ghosts, and watched them run away," Ivan said smugly.  
  
"I see," Nack said. "So you have been staying here for quite some time."  
  
"Yes, I have."  
  
They have reached a sharp bend in the path, that was on the edge of a cliff, only a few feet wide, with a tall wall of rock on the other side of the path. Ivan just kept walking.  
  
"Ivan! Wait!" Nack pointed to the dangerous path ahead. "It's past there?"  
  
"Yes, don't worry, it's perfectly safe."  
  
They crossed the narrow path and came to a gated entrance of a mine. A small hovering pod came over thier heads and looked at the both of them with its small camera. It then fickered and transformed into a ghost. It circled them and flew away. Ivan took out a set of keys out of a vest pocket and opened the large paddlock on the gate.  
  
"Follow me." Ivan suggested. They walked down a long rocky man-made hallway supported by large steel struts. The floor of the hall had been worn down by the soles of the miner's feet and Ivan's entrances and exits. They both walked down the hall, constantly coming in and out of darkness, because that the lights in the hall were either lit, not lit, broken, or not there at all. They came to a large and open area. It was shaped like a square, with a large square pit in the center. The pit was filled with water. The water surface was a few feet below the edge of the square room's pit, and it seemed to be flowing in a direction.  
  
"As you can see, I have flooded specific parts of the mountain," Ivan said "To make artifical waterfalls to power my machines." They walked around the pit and Ivan headed down another man-made hall. This place seemes like a labryninth of caves. "It won't be long until we get there."  
  
They walked through a twisting path of rights and lefts through the mine. They then came to another paddlocked gate and Ivan opened it. They came to an area like the water pit room, except pitless. The room was filled with mechanical arms, large metal consoles, masses of wire and cable, metal pipes set into the ground, a few computer screens set on desks with folders full of paper stacked neatly, and a large glass cylinder on a metal base sitting in the middle of the room.   
  
"Welcome to my humble home." Ivan said as he brushed away a string of tangled wires that looked like a mass of slaughtered jellyfish. "Watch your head."  
  
"And arms, legs, and tail...." Nack added. The walked to the center of the room, abd Ivan pointed to the large cylinder in the room.  
  
"This is the teleporter," Ivan said. "The Ryukker. Gerald planned to use this during his studies to send samples back to his ground labs on Earth. Unfortunately, he was executed before he made more." Ivan walked to the other side of the room and opened a large metal cabinet. In its shelves were small objects, diffrenting in size and shape, all of them were very small, nearly microscopic. Each of the objects were sealed in a plastic bag, probably sterilized. "These will be your best friends."  
  
"These are the implants?" Nack said as he took one of the bags into his hands for a closer inspection. He squinted at the extremely small object. This one looked like a small box, with a few prongs jutting out of its thinnest side.  
  
"That is the hearing enhancement." Ivan said. "Would you like to have them put on you now? Or wait later?"  
  
"Now." Nack said. "There is no point in wasting time."  
  
"That is exactly what I wanted to hear." Ivan said. "Your determination is why I chose you." Ivan walked over to a dentist-style chair and swiveled it around to face Nack. "Sit down, this will only take a short while." Nack sit down in the chair and looked up to see Ivan holding a mouth mask with a small metal container hanging off of it. "You will be sleeping for a little bit while I put these in. You're right-handed?" Nack nodded yes. Ivan put the mask to Nack's muzzle. "Now breathe deeply and count in any direction you choose." Nack counted numbers, starting from one, two....three....fourrr........thrrree..Nack had slipped into deep sleep and Ivan began his work.  
  
Ivan put on latex gloves on his hands and put a paper mask over his mouth. He picked up the same bag Nack was holding earlier and tore it open. He took a pair of tweezers and plucked the hearing device out of the bag. He bent over Nack's head and opened Nack's mouth. He put the device behind his wisdom tooth, and it clamped down onto the flesh. Ivan took a gun-like object and held it up to the corner of Nack's right eye and pulled the trigger twice, a small sound was heard, and when Ivan backed away, and two tiny implants was twinkiling near the corner of Nack's eye. He did the same to the other eye, but only left one of the impants there. Ivan then put a very small, key-ring shaped object a little bit below Nack's temple. Ivan seperated the fur on the skin and placed the ring-like object onto the skin. He sprayed a chemical on the area around the ring and plucked each hair out by the root, and seeing if the chemical sealed the holes the hair left. He took a sewing needle and thread and attached the ring to Nack's skin through the little holes in the ring. Ivan inspected his work and was satisfied. He tore open another plastic bag and took out a small, half-circle shaped object the size of the ring. He pressed it to the ring on the side of Nack's head and pressed it in. The metal device clicked in place. Ivan then nudged a radio earpice into Fang's right ear.  
  
"There all done."   
  
Later................  
  
"Are you awake yet?" A voive asked him. He opened his eyes and saw Ivan, holding a mirror in his hand. "Here," Ivan said as he handed him the mirror, "Take a look at yourself."  
  
He took the mirror and looked at the person staring back at him. He saw two peices of metal in his right eye and one in the left. He turned the mirror at an angle, and saw a strange device made of metal, attached to his temple, that had a circle-shaped hole facing the same direction as his face.   
  
"My I introduce.....Fang the Sniper!" Ivan said.  
  
"Fang......I like it. What does these things do?" Fang asked as he got up from the chair. Ivan stopped him and held a small, long needle-like rod in front of his face. "Wha-What do you plan to d-do with that?"  
  
"Relax, I just need to turn the implants on." Ivan said. "Now just stand still." Ivan said as he took the rod and pressed it into the implant's contact switch. The base of the rod turned green. He did this to the other eye implants. When he turned on the last one, Fang was blinded by red and green light hitting his eyes.  
  
"Whoa! What the hell is goin' on!?" Fang said as he saw the light show that danced on his retinas.  
  
"Calm down, " Ivan said as he opened a small round container. He took out a contact lens that sat on his finger. "Just let me put these in." Ivan opened Fang's eyelids and placed the lenses on Fang's pupils. The fireworks stopped and the lights changed into a red dot in the middle of his vison. Beside the red dot was blue text that read 'CONFIRM ORIENTATION'. Fang saw all of this in his eyes.  
  
"What is this? A Target-Thingamabob?" Fang asked.  
  
"Well, in a way, yes." Ivan said. "By the way, it's called Target Sight, not Thingamabob." He paused and looked into Fang's left eye. "What is it doing?"  
  
"Uhh, confirm orientation?" Fang replied. Ivan nodded and pulled out a rod with a square piece of plastic coming from its top, in the plastic was a black crosshair. He held it up to Fang's face.   
  
"Now look directly at the crosshair." Fang followed his directions. "Now follow it with your eyes as I move it around." Ivan slowly waved it up, then down, then left, then right. Fang following the movement with his eyes, keeping the red dot in the center of the crosshair. The dot and text on Fang's eye changed into a yellow '' on Ivan's body, a green '+' where the 'bullet' would impact, and the text read '2.3223 feet LOCKED.   
  
"This is amazing!" Fang commented. He flicked his middle finger back, pulling an imaginary trigger. "Bang." Fang said as he did this, and the display text read 'RELOAD'. "Amazing!" Fang commented again. "How does it know what weapon I'm using?" Fang asked Ivan.  
  
"The device attached to your temple recives your thought waves and recognizes the gun you are using." Ivan said in layman's terms. "This device can also scan faces, and ID them. And it can funtion as a map, compass, and mini computer."  
  
"Can I turn it off? I know that it will get annoying sooner or later." Fang asked.  
  
"When you don't want it on, it will turn itself off. Simple." Ivan replied. He withdrew the needle-rod. "Here, let me turn on the hearing device. Open your mouth." Ivan said. Fang opened his mouth and Ivan pressed the contact switch on the object fused to the gums behind Fang's wisdom tooth and Ivan stepped back. "Do you hear any better?" He asked.  
  
"I don't hear any changes." Fang replied.  
  
"Try hearing better, like the way you thought for the gun." Ivan said. Fang tried to hear the flowing water from the water pit room, he heard a faint trickling sound then it got loulder and it sounded like the flowing water from the room.  
  
"Now I see." Fang replied. "It doesn't make the sound loulder, but it makes things sound as if you were standing right next to it."  
  
"Yes." Ivan said. "So are you happy with your improvements?"  
  
"I do." Fang said. "But I am eager to test these out."  
  
"We will start your training soon, after you get aquainted with your firearms." Ivan relpied. "Come this way." Ivan said as he walked toward another hall in the room. Fang followed. It was another long twisting corridor.  
  
"This is a giant turn for me, Ivan." Fang said. "But, am I the only one besides you that knows about these devices?"  
  
Ivan stopped in his tracks and lowered his head. "There is another..." Ivan said in a downed tone. "....his name is Bahn Lock, a human. He is another bounty hunter."  
  
"And you gave him the same enhancements?" Fang asked.  
  
".....yes, I did."  
  
"Then what happened to him?"  
  
"He became over-zealous with his work and deserted me without finding the diary. The last I've heard of him was that he was off on his own, trying to find the pieces." Ivan said. He continued walking. "He planned to sell it on the black market."  
  
"The diary is in pieces?" Fang asked.  
  
"Yes, a few scientists took parts of it and tried to duplicate his work." Ivan said. "Something happened to them, retired, died of age, ect. and the pieces were either locked away, or given to another researcher. I know ARK holds at least one piece. You WILL cross paths with each other."  
  
"Was he like me when you met him?" Fang asked.  
  
"No, he was very skilled when I met him. But he turned out to be a psycotic killer after I gave him the implants." Ivan said. "Be weary when he is near."  
  
Ivan walked into a room that was smaller than his lab. This room had a set of weights, a weightlifting bench, a treadmill, a bar that was suspended from the ceiling, a metal dresser and a bed, all nicely kept. "You will train and sleep here." Ivan said as he gestured toward the equipment and bed. "Don't expect a robot maid." Ivan added.   
  
"Well, I guess this will be my home for a while." Fang said.  
  
  
Somewhere.............   
  
"Hehehahahah! Ivan! You are pitiful!" Bahn laughed. He was outside the entrance to the caves, standing upside-down on a pumpkin head mountain face. He was a human, asian nationality, wearing a large black trenchcoat hanging off of his arms because it was open,"Nack the Weasel?! If that is your choice, then I challenge him to a duel when he finishes his training!! I'll be waiting!" He said as he disengaged the grip on his boots and dropped down into the abyss. "Only one preson can have Gerald's research, and that's me!"  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Grey Wolf: So Nack accepts Ivan's offer and goes through the operation, but Bhan wants to kill Ivan's new student. What will be the outcome? Fing out in the next chapter: The Duel and the Deal. 


	3. The Duel

Open Your Heart To Live and Learn, chapter 3, The Duel and the Deal  
  
The Disclaimer 3000: beep beep beep beep *(Sonic the Hedgehog and all related characters are property of SONIC TEAM. Zelkin, Bahn Lock, Silver, the G.E.A.R., the Oak, ?????* the Cat are property of Grey Wolf Inc.)* disclaiming complete.   
  
Grey Wolf: Howdy! I would like to introduce the co-author of this story, Danny R., known here as Tigaris or White Tigar. During a disscusion about our ideas, we decided to do a prequel to the Prower Saga. He's one of the best action writers I know. For those who don't know, (Those that haven't read the intro in the Prower Saga, or our Bio.) I am the boss around here in Grey Wolf Inc.. Tigaris is sort of my right hand man and Zelkin has been slacking off recently, so we don't expect much from him. We are close friends with other writers: Butt Joke Inc.'s Gino and fellow Orange Park Florida resident, Angiethecat.  
  
Tigaris: Sup! I'm helping Adam's (Grey Wolf's) Venomous Fang story while he tries to complete the first Sonic Gaiden. We both hope that you're enjoying this story. I would also like to inform you of "Shining Fate". They are a collection of short action stories that will be posted in the 'originals'. Due out in mid-summer.  
  
Grey Wolf: Chapter 3: The Duel and the Deal. Dance puppets! Dance!  
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Four months later......  
  
"Are ya' sure that you will be okay?" ????? said with a touch of a twnaged southern accent. He hated his accent, he felt ignorant, especially when he talked to women he liked. He tried to shake it off, but it always came back.  
  
"I can manage an' all out here," Big replied to his guest. The guest, looked like the spitting image of himself, exept tall and skinny. As if Big got a liposuction job. "Dis' is da place for me."  
  
"But why?" The guest replied. He turned around, looking around to the dense jungle that enveloped his big cousin's bungalow.   
  
"I like the fishin' 'portunity this place, uh, Station Square." Big replied. "I think, 'da, its a callin', I reckon."  
  
"But you'd be all alone out here by yourself," ????? said. "All of our family and friends would worry about you. "?!..what the?!" ???? said as he turned his head to see his purple and black striped tail meet the mouth of a small. Green. Frog. "Stupid frog!" He said as he whipped his tail and the frog flew into a bush.  
  
"Hey! Don't hurt Froggy!" Big complained. He got up from sitting on the ground, (It took him a while, granted.) and shifted his hands in the bush the frog fell into. "Buddy are you okay?" He said as he held the frog in his hands.   
  
"Ribbit!"  
  
"I'm glad to hear that." Big replied. ????? just ran his hand over his head, brushing his long ears to his back.   
  
"Well, if i cain't (yes, I spelled it wrong on purpose) change 'ya mind, then bye Big."????? said.   
  
"Buh-bye." Big replied. "Stay the big he-ro of Khole town." He said as he waved to the tall purple cat as he hopped over the small stream.  
  
"Don't worry about that, Big!" He said as he walked through the path.  
  
  
Across the Aquatic Ocean...........  
  
  
"Three hundred sixty six...................three hundred sixty seven............" The mass of well-toned purple and white fur said as it curled up and down. It was Fang, hanging off of the suspended horizontal bar that hung from the ceiling by his knees, curling up and down, and dripping sweat onto the floor. Ivan walked into the room. "Three hundred sixty eight.........three hundred sixty nine....." Fang continued.  
  
"I have some news." Ivan said.  
  
"Three hundred seventy...........what is it?..........Three hundred seventy one....." Fang said between his reps.  
  
"I have pieced together a new item for you." Ivan said.   
  
"..........three hundred seventy two....great.......three hundred seventy three......" Fang said.  
  
"You may want to take a rest...." Ivan said.  
  
"Three hundred seventy four.........no, every minute of training counts........." Fang said as he felt the last reserves of his endurance drain away. "........three hundred ssseeevvnntyyy fffffff-...."  
  
"Don't strain yourself." Ivan said as he watched Fang.  
  
"..-ssseeeevvvennntyyyyy ffffiivveee...........threeeeeee....hunnnndreee......damn!" Fang exhaled as he stopped his rep and let his body and arms hang down. "Damn! I never reach four hundred!"  
  
Ivan nearly laughed at himself when Fang said this. When he was Fang's age, he could barely do two, and now Fang curses himself for not being able to do four hundred. Fang dropped off of the bar, and landed on his feet. He took a towel from the top of his dresser and wiped the sweat from the fur of his face. Fang looks diffrent than the one we saw in that transformation four months ago. He isn't buff, but the muscles on his body were well-toned enough so you could see the lines of his tone underneath his fur. He had completely lost his 'teddy bear belly'. Fang nodded his head and followed Ivan to the laboratory.  
  
"Here it is." Ivan said as he handed Fang a pair of black and yellow boots.  
  
"Wow," Fang said sarcasticly. "You really outdone yourself this time, Ivan. You have made a pair of.......boots."  
  
Ivan ahemed and continued talking, oblivious to Fang's remark. " These are Quickboots. They are able to let you stick to ceilings, walls, and the like. They also highten your jumping ability."   
  
"I suppose that i'll use 'em," Fang replied. "But I don't think that I wold need them." He said as he took the boots out of Ivan's hands and slipped them on his feet. In an instatnt, a few hologram screens popped up all over the room plastered with the face of a young man. He looked young, with glaring brown eyes that almost seem black. He had black hair, with white streaks in his bangs, messy and pointing out in several directions. Target Sight implants were seen on his face.  
  
"GOOD EVENING, IVAN!" the stranger yelled. His voice echoed through the room. "I see that you have another puppet to do your dirtywork!" He claimed. "You're begining to go senile, old RAT!"  
  
"Who is this joker?" Fang remarked.  
  
"Joker?!" the man complained. Fang looked closer at the picture and recognized the face.  
  
"Y-you're the bastard who went through Khole City, killing every antromorph in sight!" Fang said in horror.  
  
"That's right!" the man said with a devious smile on his face. "Bahn Lock! I started the one-man massacre of Khole!"  
  
"What the hell do you want?!" Ivan demanded.  
  
"I would like to have a friendly duel with that weasel you are employing," Bahn said as he looked over at Fang. It seems that can he see them through a camera in the room.   
  
"We don't need your trouble, Bahn." Ivan said.  
  
"Oh, cowards eh?" Bahn taunted.   
  
"I'm not a coward!" Fang testified. "I accept."  
  
"Good. Good," Bahn nodded. "Station Square Park, nine-o clock." He said as the picture dissapeard. But not without a sick grin.  
  
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Ivan asked Fang. "I know that your training is complete, but were talking about a psyco here."  
  
"I'll get ready to leave." Fang said. "That man killed innocent furnorphs in cold blood, it's a personal matter."  
  
  
G.U.N. headquarters in Station Square................  
  
  
"You two will be splitting up for solo assignments," The large and tall bat said to the young women sitting on the other end of the large desk, he looked as if he had seen many things, but half of which should not be told to the soft-hearted. He was wearing the G.U.N. uniform, the black 'G' shirt and black pants, over this was a silver jacket with a large red 'G' on the back. His large, black, and muscular wings were trying to take up as little space as possible, with the 'elbows' of his wings popping up, behind his shoulders. 'James' was on his name tag."I know that it was said that you two would be partners in one of these missions."  
  
"I wouldn't mind at all," Amy replied.  
  
"Sure, we could go solo." Rouge added. Rouge and Amy were two G.U.N. spies, straight out of training. They both were stationed in Station Square's military department.  
  
"Amy, this is yours," James said as he slipped a light-brown folder. She opened it and took out a few photos and looked at them.   
  
"Sonic the Hedgehog," the bat said. "You will monitor his movements. His discovery of being able to use the Chaos Emeralds have us worried. Your cover is an innocent girl that hails from Never Lake. You need to confront Robotnik and be captured. After you arrive in his base, you need to take some photos of some of his new work and the new Sonic clone he is working on. You will set out tomorrow."  
  
"Yes sir." Amy replied. James got out of his chair and went through the file cabinet on the wall of the room. Rouge looked at the pictures that Amy was looking at.  
  
"Sonic the Hedgehog, eh?" Rouge commented. "I hope that works out well for you." Amy cocked an eyebrow at Rouge and Amy took another look at the picture.  
  
"Hmm... who knows?" Amy said. "Only time will tell." The bat came back to the desk and slid Rouge a gray folder.  
  
"Rouge, your assignment also has you tailing a person," James said. "Nack the Weasel. He has changed and now he has a new employer. We intercepted a communicae' about him meeting another dangerous man, Bahn Lock, in Station Square Central Park, to face off in a duel. Follow him, and get as much information as possible. You might be following him for a while. It's your job to see what he's up to."  
  
"Yes sir." Rouge replied. "I won't fail, dad."  
  
"I know you won't." James replied.  
  
  
Station Square Central Park................  
  
  
"Fang! Where are you?! a man wrapped in a long and black trenchcoat said while standing on a thick tree branch. He looked at his watch, '9:10' and looked around. He spotted a male human S.S.P.D. officer, probably the night watchman, walking across the small bridge that spanned the small creek that ran its couse through the park. "I guess I'll have some fun while I wait." Bahn said to himself. He took out a handgun from the inside pocket of his trenchcoat and pointed it at the guard's shoulder. The Target Sight implants on his face lit up his eyes. '+' 150.22131 feet LOCKED'. He pulled the trigger.   
  
Bang  
  
The bullet hit the police officer, glanced to the side, and tore through the skin and bone on his shoulder. Bahn watched as the man slumped up against the rail of the bridge and cursed in pain. Bahn pulled the trigger once more and watched as an object slugged through the watchman's temple and out of the other, blowing his brains out over the water. A tall figure approached the mess. It was Fang. He looked at Bahn's handiwork, he was nither impressed or amused. Bahn leapt out of his hiding place and landed on one of the bridge's tall and elaborate support pillars with a sort of carefree ease.  
  
"I see that you're not a pasty furball anymore." Bahn said as he stood on the pillar on one foot. "Not like the pussy you used to be." He said as he leapt off of the pillar and landed next to Fang. Bahn began to slowly circle him, sizing up his opponent. Fang wasn't miffed at all by this. "Tell me, what is the purpose of deuling in the park?" Fang asked. He walked toward the fountain in the middle of the park. In the center of the fountain, a statue of a scantly-clad fox woman holding a jar, with the jar pouring water into the small pool.  
  
"Because!" Bahn said as he circled. "G.U.N. would certainly want their hands on the loser, this makes the stakes higher!" He said to the tall white and purple weasel. Bahn stopped circling, and halted. He stood in front of Fang. They both glared at each other. Thier Target Sights lit up and ajusted to the dim light. They both heard the crickets in the grass, chirping. Bahn could smell the Fear coming from Fang, he knew that he was afraid. This is the man who mindlessly killed half a population of a city.  
  
"What are the rules?" Fang asked the man.  
  
"Nothing fancy, just guns, and hand-to-hand," Bahn said. "None of that Ryukker bullshit and no traps." Bahn reached into a pocket and tossed a few black orbs to the cobble stone ground. Fang recognized them as grenades. They returned to glaring each other down.  
  
"Say when..," Bahn said, nearly making Fang jump. He smirked at this. Bahn clenched his fists. Which made a hollow crinkling sound. Fang looked at Bahn's hands and saw the metal gloves his opponent was wearing.  
  
Fang just stared more intensely. 'Is this asshole mocking me?' He thought angrily to himself.  
  
The wind shifted slightly and that's when bahn decided to make his move. He suddenly reached into a inside pocket and pulled out a 9mm handgun. fang noticed the movement and quickly reached for his. His trenchcoat fluttered in the air as he pushed it away. Taking the gun out of its holster. He immedeately began firing. Bahn had very little time to side-step the bullets and deliver his own. Fang, who was faster, felt the bullets miss as he dodged them. He ran and jumped behind one of the park benches.  
  
"A flaky shot, aren't we?" Fang yelled in a cocky tone.  
  
He tumble-rolled from behind the bench and immedeately targeted Bahn. He let loose a barrage of bullets, and Bahn ran out of the line of fire, toward the bridge, with a few bullets shooting holes in his trenchcoat. He switched over to a plasma shot handgun while Fang reloaded. Bahn ran backwards as he fired at Fang. The heated blasts nearly snagged Fang in the arm, and he jumped into the stream. Bahn ran up to the high point of the arch on the bridge, shoving the dead policeman's body out of the way, on the side where he saw Fang dive into the water.  
  
"Take this!" PhoooMT-PhooMT! Bahn's plasma gun screamed while projecting the bright green and blue blasts. He had forgotten to wrap his wrists before arming himself with the gun, and now the recoil was hurting his hand like hell. With the recoil pounding against the metal gloves on his hands, he ignored the pain and kept shooting at the shadowy figure in the water. On the other side of the battle, Fang was swimming underwater in the shoulder-high depth of the water, trying his best to avoid the plasma charges. He removed his soaked trenchcoat, and left it behind in the water, and quickly swam under the bridge. He spotted him! Bahn spotted a shadow in the water and quickly riddled it with plasma-fodder! "Heh heh! It was easy making short work of that flea circus!"  
  
Fang emerged from the water under the bridge to see plasma shots hit his trenchcoat. 'That's what you think, bub.' Fang thought to himself as he took out a chaos gun from the bandoleer that he left on when he took off the trenchcoat. He carefully aimed a shot near the edge of the bridge where Bahn was standing, and pulled the trigger. The bridge was struck, and it slowly warped, as if it was melting. Then it exploded into large chunks. Bahn lost his footing and fell into the water. Fang sloshed his way to the bank of the stream. His slickened fur was reflecting light from the sparse light streaming from the lamposts in the park. He had his dagger drawn, waiting and ready.  
  
Bahn surfaced from the water, coughing and sputtering. "I didn't think you were smart enough to use your coat as a decoy like that. I did not know a fleabitten furball can outsmart me like that," he said between coughs. He slipped a knife into his hand, with the blade facing down, ready to stab.   
  
"I'm not a furball!" Fang said as he splashed water up in the air, vieling Bahn's sight and making his Target Sight target the millions of droplets. He was blinded by the display. Fang lunged at Bahn as if there wasn't any water at all. Bahn was not easily caught off gaurd, he blocked Fang's knife attacks. Sparks flew off of Bahn's metal gloves when Fang's dagger came into contact. Bahn blocked and parried the attacks quite easily and followed up with a few quick strikes into Fang's face. A lould sound of metal hitting flesh was heard. Fang staggered back and sloshed out of the water toward the bank. Bahn leapt out of the water, towards the bank, and tossed his drenched trenchcoat aside.   
  
They both stood up on the rocky bank, back to a staring contest. Fang bit his lip, and tasted his blood that resulted from Bahn's punch. "Hmph. It seems I was a bit carelesss." Fang spoke.  
  
Bahn laughed hystericly, "You call that careless? Ha! I call it unskilled! Who taught you to fight? Fuckin' Mickey Mouse?!"  
  
Fang merely smiled. He rushed at Bahn whil reaching for his plasma shot. One. Low. Charge. Left. He needed to get the metal gloves off of him. He came within inches of Bahn and then somersaulted over him. As he landed, Bahn turned around to face his opponent. Fang aimed down and fired.  
  
"You fuck!" Bahn yelled as he scrambled to take off his heated gloves. He quickly recovered and kicked Fang's now useless gun from his hands. He stepped inward and kicked Fang in the side. Fang skidded back a few feet from the powerful kick. Bahn flashed a psycotic grin. Fang knew that Bahn was probably on another furmorph racist rampage again, and probably lost control of his mind. Bahn had crossed over that thin line. Bahn's eyes grew more wild and more intense.  
  
"You really are a damn psyco!" Fang said.  
  
"Are you sure? Or is it that I have nothing to fear and nothing to lose?"  
  
Bahn ran at Fang and swung. Fang ducked under and jabbed Bahn in the kidneys. Bahn staggered back and Fang tried to follow-up with an outside crescent kick but Bahn grabbed him by the ankle. He swung Fang around abd sent him crashing into a bench.Fang dropped to the cold wet ground, gasping for much needed air. Bahn ran over to Fang and attempted to kick the weasel in the side. Fang caught his foot and pushed off of it. Bahn spun into the air and landed on a bench behind him. He stood up quickly. Bahn was surprised by Fang's small show of power. Bahn went to sweep Fang but Fang flipped onto one hand and kicked the human in the face. bahn staggered back and weilded his last remaining gun. His 9mm. He fired at Fabg as he stepped back. Fang jumped off of the bench as became riddled with bullets. As Bahn motioned to reload, Fang took the offensive. He ran at Bahn and punched at him, Bahn dodged and swung. They stood past each other, back-to-back. Bahn and Fang stood, motionless and tired. Fang suddenly felt a shockwave of pain radiate throughout his body. He looked over his shoulder, and saw Bahn holding a dagger, pointing it to the air. Blood was dripping off of it. Fang had been cut in the side when Bahn swung. He thought Bahn was relaoding his gun when he actually drew a knife. Fang fell to the ground.  
  
He looked up in a daze. The sky was clear and starry. Bahn walked over to intruppt his stargazing.  
  
"You die now!" He exclaimed as he raised his gun over Fang's head. "Good-bye, fuzzbucket!"  
  
Suddenly, a dark figure appeared from behind Bahn. Bahn heard the steps and spun around and fired at the stranger. The figure dodged the fire. The figure stood up when Bahn had run out of bullets.  
  
"Who are you?" Bahn said while looking at the tall cat, he couldn't make out the face.  
  
"You already know," the figure plainly said. He charged at Bahn, when he came close, he jumped over the human and sa he did, he kickled him in the back of the head. The figure turned around and swept Bahn off of his feet. The cat took out a gun and aimed at Bahn's shoulder and fired. Bahn winced in pain and began reaching into his pocket.  
  
"Come Fang, this duel is over," the cat said as he picked up Fang from the grond and put his limp body over his shoulder. Bahn, still on the ground, held a grenade in his hand and began to laugh. He staggered to his feet, blood ran over his shoulder and down his arm.  
  
"You will not escape!" Bahn yelled with a wild gaze and a huge grin. He was clutching the grenade in his right hand.  
  
The cat turned to face Bahn. He slowly shook his head, "What a disgrace! Going back on your word."  
  
"You're the disgrace!" Bahn said psycoticly, "You have interfered with my fun!" he continued while pulling the metal pin from the grenade. He tossed the grenade and to baounce to the cat's feet.  
  
"Dammit Bahn!" the cat yelled as he jumped into the nearby trees. In mid-leap the grenade exploded, sending all three of them into the air. Bahn was thrown back, into the park's fountain. But the can and Fang was ingulfed in a bright light, then disappeared.   
  
Bahn sloshed his way off of the fountain, holding his shoulder. "Damn! Ivan saved him!"  
  
  
Overhead, flying above the explosion.............  
  
"....what has happened? I heard a commotion out there." Rouge's radio link blurted.  
  
"I can't find Nack, its as if he had disappeared......" She replied.  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Grey Wolf: Nack finds that this previous 'student' of Ivan had some connection with a horrible deed done years ago. But who was this mysterious person who came to his aid? Find out in the next chapter: The Deal. (Please Review!) 


	4. The Deal

Open Your Heart To Live and Learn, The Deal  
  
Disclaimer:I don't own Nack the Weasel.....but I own the new concept. SO DON"T STEAL IT!  
  
Grey Wolf: Bah, only a few pages this time. But nobody reads it. PLEASE REVIEW if you want more.  
  
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He got up from the floor. His skin was freezieng and his insides were burning. Like he had soaked some rays in a microwave.  
  
"Oh, he's up," he heard a voice say. He got up and saw a tall white-faced weasel eyeing him on the floor. "You should be alright, you can get up." The stranger got up from the floor and took in his surroundings. He was in a cave dwelling of some sort. Details were that there was a bed, a dresser, some exersize eqipment and a collection of scantily-clad female furmorph posters. "Who are you?" the weasel asked.  
  
"I'm Jack the Cat, the hero of Khole City," Jack said. He eyed the posters."I like your tastes. Where am I at, Nack?"  
  
Fang was surprised that he knew his original name. "We are somewhat near Station Square," Fang said."Khole huh? You must be the guy who stopped Bahn. Sort of...."  
  
"Hey, whadaya mean 'sorta'?"  
  
"If I remember correctly, you were actually robbing a bank at the time."  
  
"Hey, will you give me some credit. At least I saved some lives."  
  
  
  
  
Flash Back..............(You know you saw it coming.......)  
  
  
  
  
Bahn walked into the small store in front pf the gas station gas pumps just outside the building. He passed by a female squirrel, around fourty years old, at the cash register. She eyed him. His clothing, a black trenchcoat with black slacks underneath, gave her a strange vibe. Bahn walked around the store, up and down each isle slowly. He stopped at the magazines and carefully picked out one. He looped around the isles once more and snatched a lighter on his way to the front counter.   
  
Bahn silently presented his items to the cashier. A furry smut magazine and the lighter.  
  
She gave a quizzical look as she rung them up. 'This man had some strange things fused with his face, what does he want from this small town,' she thought. Bahn walked out of the store and tore out a page of the magazine, lit it with the lighter, and tossed the flaming page at a broken gaspump. He walked away without a care. As soon as he had walked a good distance, the gasoline ignited and a ball of flame extended to the sky.  
  
"Hmm...." Bahn emmited a deep sigh as he wandered into the street. Cars swerved and  
veered off into other vehicles. Colliding with each other. Bahn reached into his trenchcoat ad drew  
his handgun. He began to shoot at the cars' windshelds, trying to pick off the furmorph drivers.  
"Damn furry bastards. All pests."   
  
"Freeze! Put your hands up!" police officers bellowing over their megaphones. They had blocked the road with their cars. They opened thier doors and stepped out. Bahn just aimed and fired at them, picking off the 'morphs and intentionally missing the humans.   
  
  
  
  
............  
  
  
  
  
"So he went crazy?" Fang asked.  
  
"Yeah, we still don't know what drove him to it," he paused. "Weren't you living in Khole when it happened?"  
  
"No, I think I had a bounty-job to do, and was out of town."  
  
"Hmm..when you were old Nack?"  
  
"What do you mean 'old Nack'?"  
  
"Before you met Ivan?"  
  
Fang stiffened. "How do you know so much?"  
  
"I snoop around alot, to see who my rivals and friends are."  
  
"How do you do that?" Fang asked. He noticed Jack's eyes wander the room quickly, then fixed them on Fang.  
  
"I can't tell you."  
  
Fang immedeately jumped forward and drew his gun. As he did, he knocked down Jack back to the floor, and aimed the gun at the purple cat's forehead.  
  
"WHO ARE YOU!?" Fang yelled.  
  
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Grey Wolf: Is Jack the helpful person he seems? Fang will discover that in this new world of his, enimies are plenty, and Friends are few and far between. But who to choose? Find out in the next chapter dubbed: The Senses of the Cold Heart. 


	5. Instincts

*OYHTLAL intro music starts playing, whatever that sounds like.*Actually I do know what it is. *Starts humming*  
  
Grey Wolf: 'ello! That last chap was a little short, though I only put that last "shorty" there to get some attention. I promise that you'll love this chapter.   
  
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DENSE COILED METAL pipes that snaked their way though the hollow ceiling shouted low hums as Brass headed down the hall. He was here to find out what happened to his lifetime brother-in-arms. The funeral years ago was a phony, the engagement ring Nash told him to keep safe for his girlfrend had given him proof. He had slipped it into the hand of the corpse, only to find that the scar on Nash's wrist was gone. He didn't tell Felica, it would have broken her heart.  
  
Brass continued his way to the underground 'lair' of G.U.N.. A undersea lab located near Metal Harbor. The humid metallic hall opened to a large open bubble-shaped area filled with people. Most of them was crowding around a large cylinder that was covered with an orange curtain. Pipes and wires twisted and turned through the room, and converged at the shrine.  
  
"You can't be in here Brass, even a man of your rank shouldn't even know about this," a man in a sanitized green suit said.  
  
"I still have to know, that's my friend you have in your damn test tube," Brass replied.  
  
"Well, that 'damn test tube' is saving its life," the scientist said.  
  
"Stop calling him 'it'! That's a person in there! He used to be Nash!" he yelled.  
  
"This is why we can't let you in here, we left the viability of returning his memory on the cutting room floor," the green-garbed man said. "We can't bring back Nash, it's not possible."  
  
"That's sick! So you are going to use his body?!" he yelled.  
  
The green suit just gave a unsure nod. "This!" he said as he pointed at the enclosed metal cylinder that took up a good portion of the immense lab. "This is the secrets of GUN, we can't deny the importance of this experiment. We have achived great steps in even replicating the research. Sure it's not complete, but it is a viable, living, breathing person."  
  
"It's all wrong, that used to be Nash's life!"  
  
"No, its S.I.L.V.A.R. now, our S.I.L.V.A.R.," the green suit said. "You have to leave, unless you would like to lose your job."  
  
"I can't belive these monsters.....," Brass trailed off as he wrinkled his nose in disgust. He turned around and headed back out of the lab, back to the world he was comfortable with.  
  
"Okay folks, we have to get this thing done today. We can't spare another moment," a voice said over a series of speakers said. A man turned up to one.  
  
"Can't we have more time? Let's run through the paraphrasing again."  
  
The voice declared back in a deep tone. "No! We have to get him out today or else he will literally rot in his artifical pre-birth stasis." he paused and changed his tone. "All autorized officals, man your stations. Everyone else, please vacate the U-1 area." After what seemed to be a random shuffle, the space around the giant cylinder was empty. Execpt a couple of G.U.N. officers that stood a generous distance from the "birthing shrine".  
  
"Start sequnce now."  
  
A slight hiss seeped around the oddly-tiled floor. A metallic shriek cried out as metal grates appeared on the floor. The two silver-jackets grabbed the orange curtain and ripped it away. Breaths were held as the curtain fell down, showing the years of their vigorous labor. It, probably to the ignorant eye, looked like a pathetic excuse for years of work. A nearly brain-dead hedgehog, half alive. The only life it could retain was of the juices that surrounded its naked body. He had only seen parts of his own transformation. He had been given the gift of life by sealing the donor's away.  
  
"It's magnificent!" a faceless voice commented.  
  
The two men pulled the orange piece of shimmering cloth aside. And the glass cleaved in half verticly and began to slide apart. The body inside began to shake violently. His movements broke off the support tubes that invaded his body. There was unspeakable pain as they snapped off and broke instead of unplugging. His breathing became rapid and his vision blurred as his eyes hit air. A chilling cold ran through his body as soon his skin left the warmth of the water of life and made contact with the stale air.   
  
"This is hell," he thought to himself. The juices spilled out onto the floor and into the draining grates, washing the two men's boots in the fluids. The tube, in a violent rush, suddenly emptied of its contents and the hedgehog collapsed to the ground. He breathed in his first breath with a burning feeling in his throat and chest. On of the agents walked up to him.  
  
"Any first words after your birth?" he asked jokingly. S.I.L.V.A.R.'s orange eyes looked at him.   
  
"Birth is a great leap. To do it twice is a curse."   
  
A green-suited scientist walked up to the gray and florescent hedgehog. "Good evening, S.I.L.V.A.R., Superior Intelligent Lifeform Vairable Attack Ranger."  
  
  
  
Unkown Location a few short years ago.............  
  
  
  
"Ahh, we have waited for you," a large wolf, Valgas, said to the large being. "Why couldn't you send a transmission like our other clients?"  
  
"My rival has a constant pin on me," the robed figure said. A smaller one walked from behind the obeese one. Valgas noticed that the short one moved with an awkward stiffness. "I need your best," the fat one said.  
  
"Then that would be Zelkin," Valgas said. The wolf turned to the sky and yelled. "ZELKIN!!!". A large figure with outstreched wings circled around and and came into everyone's view. The hawk was holding a raccoon child wearing odd bamboo armor. They all landed lightly on the ground. Zelkin let the child to the ground before preceeding to talk with Valgas and the two strangers.  
  
"We have been given a job from this generous payer." Valgas said to the tall falcon. Valgas shifted and turned to the cloaked figures. The shorter one lifted his head, and red eyes glowed from beneath the shadow from his hood. The large one spoke.  
  
"I want the Gerald Diaries," the fat one said. "They are the lost research of my grandfather. A rival of mine has found one piece, employing a bounty hunter that I had onece used. I do not doubt his incompotence, and I want to be sure that I will get the research. That is why I decided to hire the great and notorious Oak thieves. This may take some time, and I want a head start for me over my rival."  
  
The smaller hooded figure said absoloutely nothing, he just nodded. The light from his eyes projected red streaks on his chest.  
  
"I belive that this job can be handled by one person," Valgas said to Zelkin. "It would be foolish and expensive to send more than one on this hunt. Would you do it, or should I send Ryu?"  
  
Zelkin turned to Valgas and the hoods, "I accept the work." He paused for a moment, then looked at Valgas. "You do know that this is sudden, my son hasn't seen me for weeks."  
  
"You know that you can decline." Valgas said.  
  
"No. I choose not to disappoint you." Zelkin replied to the wolf.  
  
"Zelkin, that is not needed. We are a family here," Valgas replied. "It is your choice alone. But remember, you will be handsomely rewarded if you complete this objective."  
  
Zelkin stared at Valgas' aging face. "Then my answer stays the same."  
  
"Good then," the fat one said.   
  
  
  
Pumpkin Hill..................................present  
  
  
  
  
"Fang, c-c-calm down!" Jack stammered. "I'm not against you!"  
  
"But I'm not completely sure about that," Fang returned. "It was a mistake to interfere with my run-in with Bahn."  
  
"You have to admit, you would have died out there without my help."  
  
"That is true, you aren't up to scratch in your skills just yet," Ivan intruded into the room, his worm-like tail drew circles in the air. He wasn't altered to the fact that he saw Fang ready to blow the cat's head off. "We don't need this quarreling, besides, Fang has a important engagement to go to."  
  
Fang stopped his agressive gesture and put the gun away. "What? To some big fancy dinner party?"  
  
"Yup," Ivan said as he nudged his glasses up the ridge of his bare nose. "You have to wear a suit and everyting."  
  
"To what?" Fang replied. Jack dusted himself off.  
  
"G.U.N. is having a small get-together in Metropolis. We'll probably overhear some important items that will aid your little quest." Ivan said.   
  
Jack decided to introduce himself. "Hey I'm-........"  
  
"Whatever," Ivan huffed as he smashed his fist into Jack's neck, knocking the feline out cold. Fang just watched in disbelief.  
  
"Ivan?!" Fang blurted.  
  
"I get unwelcome guests all of the time, I learned how to deal with him," the rat replied smugly.   
  
"What will we do with him?" Fang asked.  
  
"I'll teleport him to a water tower in Neo City," Ivan said as he began to drag the cat to the lab. He began to punch in come commands in a console comepletely covered with stray wires. He slumped the body onto the glowing yellow circle in the machine. It let out a grinding moan as Jack's body was engulfed with a yellow light and dissapeared.  
  
"So how will I gather the info?" Fang asked.  
  
"You don't," Ivan replied. He dissapeared into a corner of the lab.  
  
"Ah jeeze, another one of his inventions," Fang mumbled under his breath.   
  
"Ah yes, another one of my inventions! Of course!" Ivan replied while holding two items. One in his hand, a black card. The other was a gray box that had a earphone set pugged to Ivan's ears. "All you have to do is slip this.." he held the card up, "...into your front coat's pocket and I'll do the rest. Then you can enjoy the food, music, and dancing with beautiful women."  
  
"Yet we run into another problem in your little scheme," Fang said. He pointed at an implant below his right eye. "These will raise a few questions. This and my 'fang'."  
  
"I already know that. You'll get the tooth removed soon. You will use a cloaking device to hide the implants," Ivan said as he shuffled though some papers and withdrew a photo.   
  
"Then what's my cover?"  
  
He showed the photo to Fang. It was a white weasel wearing a pair of small-rimmed glasses. Strangely, it almost looked like him. "Allow me to introduce Nicholas Kheul, he is currently a leading psycologist in G.U.N. who resides in the Siberian state of G.U.N.." He chuckled, "You look the same and have the same surinames. He is invited to that party in Metropolis, but we need to put him away for a while.........."  
  
  
  
  
Terret Slopes airport a few hours later............  
  
  
  
"I'm sorry sir, but the flight will be delayed for a while, or it could be cancelled," the attendant behind the desk said to him.  
  
"No! Check again! I have to attend in Metropolis!" he yelled. He was starting to lose his nerve.  
  
"I'm sorry, Mr. Kheul, but there's nothing we can do about these storms," she replied. The weasel just mumbled dissaproval and stormed down the labrynith of halls.   
  
"Hey buddy....over here...," Nick heard as he crossed an empty lobby, everyone had given up on leaving town and the airport was sparsely populated with travelers. Nick searched for the source, but didn't see anyone. He felt stupid that, a psycologist of high standards, had gone mental in an airport then started to hear voices. He decided to go to the nearest bathroom and wash his face to calm himself down. Bad idea........  
  
  
Approxamately three seconds later........  
  
  
"Who a-are you?!" Nick yelled as he was thrown against the cold tile wall by his attacker.  
  
"Hold still, I gotta get a clear view of your face." the weasel said. Nick grew terrified. The attacker then snatched the glasses off his face and stared at him for a few silent seconds. The weasel let go and Nick fell to the floor. Fang snatched Nick's glassses and tossed it to him. "Yep, you're me all right." He withdrew a black gun and fired at Nick's arm. A tranquilizer dart.   
  
"What....the..fuck....." Nick drifted off into blackness. Fang dragged the sleeping form into the nearby bathroom stall.   
  
"That should last awhile," Fang remarked.  
  
  
  
Somwhere.........  
  
  
  
"Who is this?"  
  
"No one."  
  
"Tell me what you found."  
  
"That Ivan's new go-for is not as weak as I expected."  
  
"You didn't kill him?"  
  
"....no....Jack interfered again."  
  
"Hmph, I expect more of you, Lock."  
  
"Hey it was-"  
  
"Listen, to make sure that none of the Gram spy's bloodlines extend any further, you have to execute him. You know the reasons."  
  
"I don't need another lecture about them, all I know is that I'm too young to remember and care."  
  
"Don't get on my nerves, Lock. The Oak are now after him too."  
  
"So, let them kill Nack."  
  
"No. That is not what I want. Make sure you get to him before the Oak do."  
  
"I wi-"  
  
"(Dial tone)"  
  
  
  
The next day..................  
  
  
"...and then he puts the pin *back* into it and tosses it!" the bear said. He recived a modest round of laughter. "James should know this!" They were standing in a group near the tall and decorative window on the west wall of the immense place that seemed like a combination of a dance hall and dining floor. The view was of the lights of the city that spanned for what seemed to be parsecs. But one feature was prominent in the glass. The Acorn castle. It didn't look like a castle, but, a collection of tall towers that reflected the night lights. From the opposite side of the glorious city, a few of the men of large size seemed awkward in their formal attire, though James the Bat looked impressive in his jet-black suit. Andrea, dressed in a red dress spotted with sequins, his stunning wife, stood beside him, though wasn't amused by the talker's drivel.  
  
"Yes..tell us more," Andrea said half-sarcasticly. She shot a look at her husband. James just shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"Art is always ready to share stories...." a liger drifted off, obviously a subltle sign meaning 'shut up'.  
  
"Do I HAVE to be here, mother?....." Rouge drifted off. She gazed at the ceiling, which was a series of glass arches that streched across the length of the dancefloor. Near the side of the wall where tables were absent, an egg-shaped hollowed-out area of the wall was being traversed by a few men setting musical instruments in an arrangement. Andrea turned to her.  
  
"Listen, I know that you're bored, but we all were invited. So make the best of it," she replied. "Find someone of your intrest. Talk to somebody."  
  
"Are you serious?" Rouge replied. "This place is filled with war veterans and science nerds, typical G.U.N. material."  
  
"Just give it a try," Andrea said. She nodded in a direction. Rouge turned to see a strikingly handsome weasel, sitting alone at a table situated on the outside of the dancefloor. "Isn't that Nicholas Kheul? I thought he couldn't make it here. Go and make conversation, just give it a try."  
  
"Ivan, this is nonsense," Fang said as he sat at his table, nothing to do but to trace his tounge over his new teeth.  
  
"You're doing fine. From where you're sitting, I'm tapping in on all the conversations in the room. Expect someone to arrive at your table soon. I heard someone ask of you," Ivan replied over the radio tucked in Fang's right ear.  
  
"Now this is pure crap. I have to pose as a renowned psycologist or my ass is grass," Fang mumbled under his breath.  
  
"Don't sweat it," Ivan replied. "Just make it up."  
  
"It might just be me, but I think it's impossible to ham it up."  
  
"Look at it this way, you're the only top psycologist in the room," Ivan said. Fang understood. He attention was tuned to an attractive female short-tailed fruit bat approach his table.   
  
"Hello," she said in a soft voice. "Bored to tears I see." Fang looked up and tried to size up his situation. This situation was what seemed to be an actual normal person who just wanted to talk with him. She wore a flowing dress that stretched taut over her shapely hips and defined other goddes-like features on her body. Her wings were partially hidden behind her, as not to scare a new friend.  
  
"Not that you're here, I can't stand all of this army hoo-hah." Fang replied. "It's nice to see a friendly face." He motioned her to take the seat in front of him. "Go ahead, unless you have something more important to do?"  
  
"Me? Oh no," she said with a slight smile as she sat across from him. "It's odd to see someone like you to come unescorted here."  
  
Was that a compliment? "Yeah, are you?"  
  
"No, my parents dragged me here. They're top agents of G.U.N.," she replied while nodding behind her. Fang swallowed hard.  
  
"You plan to follow in their footsteps?"  
  
"Too late, I'm already one," she replied. "I been given a first missson...but I can't give away details." She smiled. "You ask a lot of questions....yet none of them was 'what is your name'?"  
  
Fang chukled. His hidden eye implants identified her face, showed records of her history, and her age. "Don't worry, Rouge, we'll get to that soon enough."  
  
Rouge's eyes glinted. "You're a sly one, Nicholas Kheul."   
  
Fang winced when he heard that name. "Call me Nack."   
  
"Nack? Why's that?" Rouge asked. Thoughts began to run through her head. Nack? Nack the Weasel? No. Couldn't be. He's diffrent. Handsome.  
  
"Old nickname I still carry. I have a certain 'nack' for things." Nack responded. A man walked into the middle of the floor with a microphone in hand.  
  
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Before we start with our meal, music and dancing, I would like to say a few words. We all have gone through tough times before, but not like this man. He is the man who made GUN possible....oh hell, we doesn't even need an introduction. May I introduce the guests of honor, Maxwell Acorn and his lovely daughter, Sally!" Two figures entered the large dining hall through the hudge set of double doors that were behind the speaker. The speaker gave a modest bow to the king and princess and handed the microphone over to Max.   
  
Max opened his mouth, immedetely closed it, then smiled. "Odd, I don't have much to say this time. But I would like to thank all of you for your efforts for making this organization possible. Let's all hope for more years of peace!" He recived a rumble of applause from the seated audience. A squad of waiters appeared from the same entrance doors and began to prowl around tables.  
  
Rouge turned to Nack. "Are you hungry?" she said as she tapped the leather-bound menu resting to the side of her plate.  
  
"Ravenous," Nack said as he opened his menu. To his dismay, it was all French.  
  
Rouge must have seen him jump. "You can't read it?"  
  
"Can you?" Nack replied. Rouge nodded.  
  
"I know a lot," Rouge said. "Do you need help?"  
  
Nack looked at his menu and green lines appeared in his view. Green English words overlapped the French ones and he could understand the names of the dishes. "I was going to ask you."   
  
A waiter took his spot standing by the table. "Your order?" the otter asked. They went about ordering their food. The waiter stepped away, probably to concern himself with another table.  
  
"You're a strange one, Nack," Rouge said as she sipped a glass of water.   
  
"Why do you say that?" Nack asked, mesmerized by her brilliant green eyes.  
  
"A siberian psycologist who's sharp on his wit and knows French," she said. "Makes you wonder...."  
  
"Knowing a lot can give you bragging rights," Nack said with a shy-guy smile he saved for occasions like this one. A painful silence wrapped the two. Rouge, unfortunately, decided to break it.  
  
She asked a question of the type that Nack feared. "So, how is being a psycologist?"  
  
"Well, before I moved up into G.U.N., I was your typical shrink-doctor case," Nack said, reciting the document of Nicholas Kheul's past. "I was thrown into a waste af talent. Hence, almost all of my patients were overeaters or the suicidal type."  
  
"Then how did you end up here?" she asked. The waiter reappeared with thier food, and slid their plates with a slight clatter as he laid it down. They began to eat their meal.  
  
"I decided to be a part of neurological studies in G.U.N.," Nack said after a swallow. "I was gladly accepted."  
  
"What do you do?" she asked.  
  
"Alot I can't talk about," Nack replied. The orcestra band in the egg-hollow began to play a slow tranquil song. Couples began to leave their seats and occupy space on the elaborate, tiled dancefloor. Rouge looked into Nack's eyes. "Care to dance?" Rouge let herself be led into the the sea of people. Nack placed a hand on the small of her back and *tried* to put his other hand a bit higher. But her wings were in the way.  
  
Rouge giggled. "Don't worry about it, we'll just have to dance a bit more intamate," she said as she slid his hand down to the top of her buttocks. "There, much better. Don't you agree?"  
  
"You're a fast one," Nack chuckled as they rocked to the rythim of the slow melody. Nack, probably for the first time in ages, felt that he can be happy in his troubled life. Even if it wasn't truth that he told, he wanted to live this way. He left his thoughts and caught Rouge staring deep into his eyes.  
  
"Tell me something," she said. "A psycologist, in theory, would be the perfect person. They would know how to solve any emotional trouble and maintain a perfect life."  
  
"I wouldn't go that far," Nack replied. "If I would listen to my own advice, I wouldn't be here."  
  
"Where would you be?" she asked.  
  
"Probably on a farm, feeding emus." Nack chuckled.   
  
"Then what about love?" she said with a sensual tinge in her voice. "How do you deal with it yourself?"  
  
"Personally, I think love's an accident," Nack said. "Humans and anthromorphs stumble about the concept in the same clumsy manner. Unlike our un-anthromorphic 'ancestors'. We can't just find a mate, show off, and have sex. We have trouble bearing rejection in mind."  
  
"Do you?" she asked.  
  
"Hm?" Nack sighed. "N-no, of course not."  
  
"Why are you so confident about it?" she said. A teasing smile came across her face. "Oh, I forgot. I'm talking to a psycic psycologist."  
  
"You're a colorful character, aren't you?" Nack replied. Rouge gave a small giggle. "You must be a lot of trouble to be around."  
  
"Oh, but I promise you, all of my trouble is worth the price..." she said.  
  
"I already know that," Nack said as he embraced Rouge in a kiss. They contined to dance together in the sea of people.   
  
  
Meanwhile..........  
  
  
The shadow scaled the steep side of the roof. He waved a hand, and a group of other shadows followed suit behind it. They came to the top of the roof, the glass structure that streched across the length of the building. The leading shadow unfolded its wings and swooped to the other side of the barrier.  
  
"Remember who we're looking for," the winged shadow said.  
  
  
Back inside...........  
  
  
Nack was savoring every second of the dance. Hoping that it will never end. Then he heard it. A slight shuffling noise. It sounded hollow and it came from the roof. In one thought, he was slammed back into the reality that he was a criminal because of his employer, and now he better be prepared for what's going to happen next.  
  
"Nack, what's wrong?" she asked as she notcied his body get tense. Nack leaned in and wispered to her.  
  
"There are people on the roof, they might break in here. Try to get out of here, now," Nack said in a hushed voice.   
  
Rouge looked up and saw something move over the glass structure above. "What are you going to do?"  
  
"Just get out of here, I'll get some help," Nack replied. She shot a look. "Just go!"   
  
"Just, be careful," Rouge said as she broke away and dissapeared into the dancing people. Nack turned and found a set of double-doors that led to the kitchen. He followed the kitchen all the way to the back and found a back door. He swiftly traversed the street in the alley and came to what seemed to be a hover bike. "MQ" was embossed with color on the front panel of it. He opened a built-in box and pulled out a trenchcoat. He quickly dressed and ran back through the back door, and re-entered the dining hall. As soon as he did, the immense glass arches above broke apart into a thousand pieces and clattered to the floor as the guests paniced and scatterd away. Three large chords dropped down and their ends clanked to the ground. Shadowy figures slid down the chords. They wore black flowing scarfs over their black and red ninja garb.  
  
"The Oak?!" a few people yelled. The first one that dropped stepped forward. It was a large gray falcon with large wings that emerged from the back of his clothing.  
  
"I have come to kill Nack the Weasel, where is he?"  
  
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Grey Wolf: What do you think? Should I keep going? Should I update this soon? Review to tell me! 


	6. Determination

Oh yeah, part two of this fascinating fic. Thanks to Insomiac and Boltstryke, thier praise has rekindled the spirit of creativity in the name of Venomous Fang. Okay, so it isn't that dramatic, but, if you like our work, spread the word  
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Fighting is always both a fascinating battle of wit and strength. Two opponents, dueling it out depite their true objectives, fearing defeat and welcoming victory.  
  
But made more interesting when the floor was cluttered with glass and a dozen of deadly shadows.  
  
Fang was at a loss, the large falcon he was up against was winning. With each flash of his blade, Zelkin was getting closer to slaughtering the near-defenseless weasel. Nack's only line of defense was the small dagger he was weilding. A spark there, a flash of metal, Nack's hand was aching from the repeated sword strikes. The other Oaks had "secured" the ballroom by standing staticly in stoic silence (uh, yeah) beside the doors and windows. It was a sign that killing Nack wasn't the only thing they were after. To Nack's knowlage, Rouge and the rest of the others were corraled into the kitchen.  
  
"Stop this nonsense, Weasel," the falcon said. "Make it easy. It's not right for someone to die tired."  
  
"I haven't even broken a sweat," Fang lied. In what seemed to be a trained reaction, all of the other oaks swiftly drew their swords. Zelkin drew back.  
  
"Soldiers," Zelkin said out loud. "Coming from the stairs below."  
  
"We have to go now," one of the Oaks said. "We knew the risks of breaking into a military function."  
  
"No, we can easily take them," another Oak said. "It's only G.U.N. after all. Probably a bunch of robots."  
  
Nack noticed that a small aura of light had surrounded him. The Oaks looked on in dismay.  
  
"Damnit, Ivan," Fang yelled out loud. "What the hell are you doin-" before he could finish, a bright light engufled his body and a wave of gut-wrenching motions fell through him. Before he knew it, he was standing in the large metal Rukker, humming with a dull roar. Ivan was sitting near a large tabletop that was decked out with monitors. Fang immediately drew his gun and poited it at the rat.  
  
"Just what in hell do you think you're doing?!" Ivan reacted. "You were nearly dead."  
  
"Send me back," Fang said shaking his gun. "Somebody's back there, and she's waiting for me!"  
  
"You're losing it! We have all the information we need," Ivan shook. "Nac-"  
  
"Do it!" Fang yelled. Ivan forcebly punched his keyboard and typed in a command, and Fang felt the same dizzy rush.  
  
Fang dropped from mid-air and fell to the ground behind a mass of lumbering G.U.N.  
SWATbots, large silver-and-black bodies with small heads and skinny apendages. They were losing to a few of the Oaks. Fang instantly recognized that he was just outside to entrance of the ballroom. Just before they scrapped the last robot, an Oak spotted him.  
  
"Hey! He didn't go anywhere!" the scarfed figure yelled which cued a large group to flow out of the doorway, swords in hand. One ran fast towards him, a human Oak, and Fang slipped to the side to punch him in the gut. The man curled on impact immedeately and fell to the ground. A few more came through the door, but a lot of yelling was heard from the ballroom. Fang hurried to it, despite the Oaks coming at him. A large one jumped up, sword raised over his head.  
  
But then he collapsed in mid-air in sort of a sick and twisted dance. His sword flew away while his arms and legs flailed in the air. He landed on his feet and collapsed on the ground. Exausted. A few of the other Oaks' attention was diverted to whoever shot the clumsy Oak. More of the scarved thieves fell to the ground, enough for Fang to get inside.  
  
Rouge was there in there with a plasma shot in hand, fending off a few of the Oaks. Quite a few, actually. Fang drew his laser shot and blasted away a few of the party-bashers, and only two others and Zelkin remained. Rouge shot a mystified look at Nack.  
  
"I was miss informed about this weasel," Zelkin said as he flew up into the air. Rouge and Fang both fired at the flying hawk, but Zelkin just dodged them like nothing. The large hawk dived in on Rouge and grabbed her by the neck and swooped up again.  
  
"Nicholas!" Rouge yelled while she tried to pry Zelkin's talons off her neck.  
  
"Nicholas?" Zelkin laughed. "That's Nack the Weasel. This lil' bastard has been chased by GUN for quite some time!" Zelkin said as he shook her at Fang, almost in a mocking manner. "I see that this girl is important to you. Hand yourself over and... she won't be harmed."  
  
Fang pointed his firearm at Zelkin, but felt powerless. There was no doubt in his mind that Zelkin would use Rouge as a human (anthromorph, whatever) sheild. And earlier, Fang couldn't even land a shot on the damn bird. He dropped his gun in defeat.  
  
"Smart boy," Zelkin said. He suddenly streched out the arm that was holding Rouge. "But this is an agent. Trash to both of us." Zelkin suddenly flew out of the shattered skylight, gone from the ballroom. Nack could hear Rouge's screaming. Fang dashed towards the glass window in the eastern wall of the room, hoping that it wasn't as thick as he hoped it was. A disorienting vibration rocked his body as he flew out of the window.  
  
And into the night, hundreds of feet above the ground.  
  
Amazingly, Fang had hit the ground running. The ballroom was set on a hotel that steeply sloped on its sides. Feet flying back and forth under him, he was nearly skidding down the side of the wall, with Zelkin seen flying over the top of a nearby building.   
  
"Ivan!!" Fang yelled, skidding down. "Get me over there!!" As if on command, the same, body-twisting feeling washed over him. A blurred vison of Zelkin appeard below him. Fang raised both of his fists in the air and slammed hard into Zelkin's neck.  
  
"Gwah!!" Zelkin cried out, letting lose of his grip on Rouge. Zelkin fell on the roof below on his back and Rouge landed on her feet with the aid of her wings. Fang ran toward Rouge.  
  
"Are you alright?" Fang asked her. She tuened her head, showing dissapointment. "Sorry... "  
  
Rouge abruptly shoved her gun at the weasel's chest. "Don't say sorry to me...," she said in a aching voice. ".. how dare you!"  
  
"Rouge," Fang said, putting his hand over the nozzle of her firearm. "This was all a mistake."  
  
"This is a very touching moment," Zelkin said, standing up. The falcon drew an old-fashoned revolver from his belt and fired, tossing Nack from the roof. Zelkin made his way over to Rouge, taking his time.  
  
After watching Nack plummet, Rouge was trying her best to collect herself and seem indeffrent to Nack's demise. She shifted her grip on her gun and aimed at the falcon.  
  
"I see," Zelkin said. "No tears from this soldier." Two Oaks fell from the air and silently landed on his feet. Rouge unsteadily aimed at them.  
  
"Ha," the Oak to Zelkin's left said. "This is a time-waster. Let's go check on that weasel."  
  
"No," said Zelkin. "I have a better idea." All three of them leapt off the side of the flat building, leaving a confused and tired Rouge. She hurried to the other side where she saw Nack fall. No trace or clue, blood or anything was left behind. Nack must have survied the fall, Rouge thought. A sudden slam shook the roof. Rouge turned around to see a gray/white hedgehog dressed in the typical GEAR uniform: silver jacket, black pants and undershirt, and a extending sword handle protruding from his back. He was unusally tall, and the way he walked made him seem heavy and powerful.  
  
"Let's go," the nearly silver hedgehog said to her. "Everyone needs to go back to the hotel. We're going to investigate this sudden appearance of the Oaks."  
  
  
--Back in Eastside Station Square--  
  
  
Nack woke up in his room in the Pumpkin Hill coal mine, and he was getting tired of seeing the leaky rock that served as the ceiling of his room. A face intruded his view. A stranger. One with a white face and piecing red eyes. A female fox.  
  
"Okay, he's awake," she said. She stood up, and Fang could see that she wore absolutely nothing. She didn't need to, her fur was thick enough. Her body was white, all the way from her hair to the tip of her tail. She was a fox, and her red eyes and pink nose proved that she had some extreme case of albanism. Fang slumped up, and pain ran through his arm. He looked over to see a bandage that wrapped his left arm. His target sight id'ed her as a young woman named Scarlett Illmis. It also showed that she is assosiated with Ivan Cameron and... Jack the Cat?  
  
"What- where-, damn, where's Ivan?" Fang said as he shuffled to his feet.  
  
"I see that Target Sight serves you well," she said. "He's in his lab, as always."  
  
"What connection do you have with Ivan?" Fang asked.  
  
"I am like you, one of Ivan's high-paid gophers. I don't mind the work, and I sorta like it here. Though I'll never let him touch me with a scalpel to put one of those crazy implants in me," she said. Her voice was soft, though she probably couldn't sing. Not like Rouge's. "I just came back with a piece of the Diary."  
  
"How long have I been out?" Fang asked. He had a lot of questions to ask, but didin't care to ask them.  
  
"A few hours, actually," she said. "It's around eleven 'o clock."  
  
"I have to go," Fang said, straighting his coat.  
  
"For what? I already brought back the Marvelous Queen."  
  
"No, I have to find someone. At least I hope she's still alive."  
  
"Hmm... ," Scarlett sighed. "Fine, just be easy on that arm."  
  
Fang walked out the door, leaving it open for Scarlett. After walking down the normal path of alternating burnt-out and running lights and came to the lab. But there was no sign of Ivan.  
  
"Hey, Ivan," Fang said out loud. "Where are you? Did you lose a screw or something? Heh heh."  
  
A breif moment of silence. Then a swish of air was heard in the room, a stack of monitors fell and crash on the floor and a shadow tackled him from behind. A breif tumble in the dark room and the intruder ripped a knife into the air. Slashing again and again. It was an Oak, with a long scarf following the movements. The Oak looked across the room, looking at scarlett.   
  
"So this is Ivan's little squad. Where's the cat." the Oak demanded in a femenine voice. She was wearing a hood, and the room was too dark to distinguish anything.   
  
"Why does your little Boy Scout troop want with us?" Fang said, with the knees of his attacker pressing on his chest. She returned the remark with a swift punch.  
  
"Don't mock me," she said. She removed her hood, which showed a beautiful female canine face and reckless blue hair. Fang's target sight id'ed her as Marion Oakmi, the daughter and only child of the infamous Valgas Okami.  
  
(Props to ya if you remember what other DCI fic she came from)  
  
"Where's Ivan?" Scarlett said sternly, Fang discovered why Marion didn't immedeately kill him: Scarlett was aiming a black handgun at the wolf's head.  
  
"Somewhere. He's alive," Marion said, holding the knife close the Fang's adams apple. "We'll let him go. For a price." She paused. "Instead of retrieving the Gerald Diaries, hand them to us."  
  
"Bust our asses for some dirty old theif?" Scarlett said. Marion shook her head.  
  
"Don't want to cooperate?" Marion said. "Then you're useless." The wolf drew a revolver quick as lightning and sent out a volley of shots in Scarlett's direction. Oddly enough, Scarlet wasn't touched.  
  
"Ever hear of a transmisson hologram?" Scarlett said. "I'mnot here right now. So leave a message after the beep." And flickered out.  
  
"That doesn't matter," Marion said. She tightened her grip on Fang's collar. "I still have you."  
  
-----  
  
Fang was in the air, riding atop the Marvelous Queen, trying the best he could to collect his nerve. The Oak was suddenly an threat, aside from Bahn. Bahn, what did he want from him from the first place? That strange duel was pointless. Nevermind that, though, the Oak was enough to worry about.   
  
Below the city was buzzing with loud music, speeding cars, neon lights, and people walking the streets. Without Ivan, Fang had no clue where the next diary piece would be.  
  
  
Not too far away.....  
  
"Let's see you offend the Red Spine Gang!" the figure on a nearby rooftop muttered to himself as he loaded his rifle. Taking careful aim, he centered the flying motorcyle into the cursor of the rifle's scope. He heard a voice behind him.  
  
"...don't kill him, just take him out of the sky," it was the heavy, yet rushed voice of Bahn.  
  
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